Any person or corporation who or which violates the provisions of this article shall be liable to a penalty of five dollars, for the first offense, for each bottle, container or receptacle mentioned in section 56:3-15 of this title, filled, sold, bought, given, taken, used, disposed of, trafficked in or possessed in violation of the provisions of this article, and, for the second and each subsequent offense, a penalty of double that amount, recoverable by the owner or proprietor of any such bottle, container or receptacle, or his agent, in an action at law in any court of competent jurisdiction.
N.J.S. § 56:3-29